Speed-indicating apparatus.



PATENTED OCT. 18, 1904.

I. MONTANDON. SPEED INDIGATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18. 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NO MODEL.

PATENTED OCT. 18, 1904.

F. MONTANDON. SPEED INDIGATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18. 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

NO MODEL Patented October 18, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRITZ MONTANDON, OF LA OHAUX-DE-FONDS, SWITZERLAND.

SPEED-INDICATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming p of Letters Patent N 772,625, dated October 18,1904.

Application filed August 18, 1902.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRITZ MONTANDON, a citizen of the Republic ofSwitzerland, and a resident of La Ghaux-de-Fonds, Canton of Neuchatel,Switzerland, have invented a Speed-Indicating Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide means to indicate fromtime to time the speed with which any kind of vehicle moves. Anyobserver who is in the vehicle and who desires to ascertain the speedwith which the latter moves with the aid of a stop-watch which he holdsin his hand can compute this speed pretty exactly if he follows themilestones, which as a rule are distributed along the sides of highways.For the purpose in question it is entirely sufficient if the aforesaidperson allows the hand of the stop-watch to move the moment that hemoves past such a stone and that he stops it again as soon as the nextstone has been reached. For example, let it be supposed that the twoaforesaid stones are separated from each other by a distance of onehundred meters and that the time indicated by the watch is five seconds.Then a simple calculation will show that the vehicle is running at aspeed of seventy-two kilometers per hour. The action of this newapparatus is based upon the above-described fact.

The present invention is described in such a manner that the escapementmechanism of the stop-watch, which had hitherto been moved by hand, isnow operated automatically by a wheel of the vehicle.

The indicating-diskshows, as usual, besides the time-scale aspeed-scale, which represents an exactly-ascertained measured distance.

A form of the new apparatus is shown as an example in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 represents a top view, and Fig. 2 a sectionalong the line X X of Fig. 1, showing the speed-indicator without itsdriving apparatus. Fig. 3 is a rear View of the indicator with thebottom of the case removed. Fig. 4: is a view of the mechanism by meansof which the central hollow axle of stop-Watch is moved with the aid ofa vehicle-wheel, and Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the applicationSerial No. 120,088. (No model.)

of the new apparatus to an automobile in such a manner that there isprovided transmission of motion from the automobile-wheel to thespeed-indicator.

Referring by reference characters to the drawings, A is a case in whichis arranged a stop-watch of any desired kindfor example, that describedin Swiss Patents Nos. 207 or 542-having an axis a, on which is placed agear for driving the watch index or hand in the usual manner andprovided with a wheel B, having fifteen teeth. Between the teeth of thiswheel B there may engage during each revolution of disk 0 a stud c,secured on the latter. This disk is formed integrally with aconical-toothed wheel G, into which engages a conical gear p, whichlatter is itself driven by means of a worm P. Rod 8 of this worm restsin a small pillow-block S and is connected, by means ofa flexible shaftD, with an axle (Z, which can be seen in Fig. 5. To the latter axle themotion of vehicle-wheel R is imparted by means of disk 1', the latterbeing rigidly connected with said wheel and effecting, by means offriction,the rotation of a small disk 1 keyed on axle cl. Axle (Z canrotate freely in a support E, secured on a bar which is loosely arrangedon the axis of wheel 0'. A nut c, screwed on axle (Z, allows said axleto be advanced toward the center of disk 0' or to be removed therefrom,so that the number of revolutions of the small disk 9" can be exactlyregulated in such a manner that stud c, which moves wheel B, describesone revolution,while the distance performed is equal to the unit ofmeasure, which may be selected at will and which serves for expressingthe entire distance performed by the vehicle. As shown, for example, inthe drawings, the ratio of gear is adjusted in such a manner that stud 0makes one revolution, while wheel B determines a distance traveled oftwo hundred and fifty meters.

Stud 0 is not fastened directly on disk C, but on arm F, which is heldloosely on pivot f of the aforesaid disk C and the swinging amplitude ofwhich is limited by screw 3 Spring g imparts to stud c the tendency toplace itself always between the teeth of wheel B. On the other hand,said stud c performs the action of a stopwork whenever the vehi-.

of a mechanism K, (see especially Fig. 3,)-

which records the distance performed in such a manner that there isobtained simultaneously an indication of the time recorded by the usualwork of the stop-watch and an indication of the attained speed and ofthe distance covered by the vehicle.

The clock or watch movement inclosed in case A is, as has been saidbefore, a stopwatch movement of any desired pattern, being appropriatelyinserted in a double case VV'. The parts for winding up and for settingthe inclices executed in the usual manner are arranged on the outside'ofthe aforesaid double case. The knob u, attached to the button of thekeyless watch and being able to actuate, by means of the usual levers,the hollow axle n, allows the watch to be used also in the ordinarymanner. The only change which has been made in the work of the watch orclock consists in the above-described small wheel B, secured on axis aof the hollow axle it.

During each revolution made by the wheel C, which corresponds to twohundred and fifty meters covered by the vehicle-wheel R,

stud 0 will move along the small wheel 13 by i one tooth, wherebythe'following movements are regularly effected: the starting of thewatch-index, its arrest, and its return to zero, its renewed starting,&c., during the whole period during which the vehicle moves forward.Consequently the new apparatus performs in every respect the same workswhich a person might accomplish with the aid of a watch, there beingonly the one difference that all operations are effected automaticallysothat the only thing the driver has to do is to notice the speed whichindex N shows on the divisions m m, whereby said index is of coursearrested during a certain number of seconds, which number corresponds tothe space of time which wheel 7* requires to run each time over theabove-mentioned unit of distance amounting to two hundred and fiftymeters.

The indicating mechanism K, which indicates the performed distance, maybe of any desired construction and needs not to be connected with thespeed-indicator. However, this connection is exceedingly useful,especially on account of the regulation of the arrangement for thetransmission of motion. The unit of distance according to which themeasurements are made is of course optional that is to say, there may beused, for'example, miles, knots, &c., for measuring and a fraction orthe entire unit may be used as a basis for the transmission of motion onthe watch, whereby in every case the division on the indicator-disk andthe dimension of the as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Avehicle speed-indicator comprising the combination of a part actuatedrelatively to the speed at which the vehicle is traveling, an indicatingdevice associated therewith showing a definite distance traversed, and astopwatch or timepiece automatically set into operation andautomatically arrested by the speed-indicator-actuating mechanism andhaving the usual indicating devices and which shows the time occupied intraversing such definite distance.

2. A speed-indicator for vehicles comprising a part actuated relativelyto the speed of the vehicle, an indicating device associated therewithshowing a definite distance traversed, a stopwatch or timepiece,automatically set into operation and automatically arrested by thespeed-indicator-actuating mechanism to indicate the time occupiedtraveling such distance, and thereafter automatically returned to Zero.

3. A speed-indicator for vehicles comprising a wheel rotated step bystep controlled by a wheel of the vehicle, a dial and pointer associatedtherewith and showing a definite distance traversed, a stop watch ortimepiece indicating the time. occupied in traversing such distance, andmeans whereby in the revolution of the indicating device the stop-watchis set into operation at the start of the distance to be timed, arrestedat the finish and thereafter returned to Zero, the organization beingsuch that this cycle of operations may be automatically repeated duringthe continued movement of the vehicle.

4. In an apparatus for automatically indicating speeds a stop-watchhaving a fixed dial and a single hand, and automatic means connected toone of the moving parts of the vehicle, for starting and stopping thesaid hand as the vehicle continues its course, substantially asdescribed. 7 4

5. In combination with a stop-watch havinga single hand, a wheel Bconnected therewith to start and stop said hand and return the same tozero automatically, and means for operating the said wheelintermittingly from a moving part of the vehicle, upon which the watchis carried, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

FRITZ MONTANDON WVitn'esses:

JULEs OHAPNY, ARMAND TERRELET.

